


Tinseltown

by OlicitySmoaky



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternative Universe - No Island, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hollywood, Summer reading
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-14 06:58:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11202819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlicitySmoaky/pseuds/OlicitySmoaky
Summary: Genius young lawyer Felicity Smoak and hotshot agent Oliver Queen run into each other after their summer of love seven years prior. Now that they're all grown up and living in Tinseltown, will sparks fly? Or will they fizzle out now that the real world is involved? Total AU.





	1. It's You

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to tdgal1 for being awesome and beta reading this chapter for me! I decided to write this one alongside The Summer People as well as a few one-shots this hiatus. Hope you like it. I was very afraid to post it! LOL It's super AU. I'm not usually one to make Felicity not a tech genius, but this time, she's a lawyer. (It's also an old story that I did in a diff fandom that never went anywhere. When I fit Olicity into it, it felt right ... TO ME. Will see if you like it!)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter @AlliWriterGirl or Tumblr @olicitysmoaky -- Reader questions welcome.

 

[ ](http://tinypic.com?ref=2uxwzs0)

 

Felicity Smoak’s childhood best friend, Barry Allen, invited her to the party of the year.  Thrilled it was only twenty minutes away from her apartment, Felicity had to force herself to be calm. She was a fangirl through and through – even if none of her favorite actors from Dr. Who were likely to be in attendance.

They entered the foyer, the Shrine Auditorium's vintage chandeliers glowing overhead. Hand-painted forest green vines wrapped around the columns along the walls, and a deep crimson carpet jetted out before them, leading into the massive ballroom.

"The Governor's Ball, Barry," said Felicity, referring to the famous Academy Awards after party. They used to watch clips - on television with their other best friends Iris, Caitlin, Cisco and Thea. "You’ve been talking about this since you were eight-years-old. Why don't you look more excited?"

The young independent film director shrugged, smirking a bit at his old friend. "Yeah, well."

"Yeah, well, what? You've arrived. Be proud of yourself," said Felicity, pushing the black spaghetti strap that had been plaguing her all evening back onto her shoulder. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulder in perfect corkscrews that had yet to fall out of place by some miracle, so she supposed a wayward spaghetti strap could be construed as something to be grateful for.

Barry chuckled. "Well, I was here last year as a guest, but this is a little different."

"Exactly. Now, I'm your guest," she said, straightening out his bow tie and smoothing down his jacket at the shoulders. "C'mon, let's find our table."

The tables appeared to be in sort of a zigzag formation, allowing every couple to sit side by side in the romantically lit room. Felicity was happy for Barry. He had worked hard, and even though his film had only been nominated for best editing and had subsequently lost, it had won many other accolades on the independent film circuit this season. The proverbial Hollywood door seemed to need a secret incantation to open it, but Barry managed to make his way through it. And what was on the other side? Rubber chicken dinners and rubber-faced movie stars, his dream come true. Felicity, on the other hand, was over it before it had even started. She'd come out here to find a real life, and maybe meet the right guy. She’d become a lawyer with a penchant for being really good at tech, though it wasn’t what she’d studied in college. She enjoyed her life. Though she did long for someone to be by her side, a real companion. She certainly didn't want a phony rubber face to fill the job.

Dinner had not been tasteless and neither had the wine. In fact, Felicity was on her third glass when Barry tapped her shoulder.  "So, would you like to go mingle for the rest of the night, or do you want to stick close to me?" Barry asked.

Felicity bit her perfectly painted red lip and scanned the room. It was glitzy. Everyone was too beautiful. But it was nothing she couldn't handle alone. "I think I'd like to mingle. Meet you back here in an hour?"

"Perfect,” said Barry as he slid off to chat with a couple cast members from his movie.

Felicity took a deep breath, glancing down at her sleek black dress. It made her feel freer yet more exposed than the power suits she wore to work. She made her way over to the champagne. That might help ease her nerves.

The night went on. Movie stars, local politicians, agents, directors, producers, and friends all spun around in drunken elated stupors. Felicity had been pulled on the dance floor by a dark ginger-haired olive-toned celebrity with gorgeous blue eyes. She couldn't for the life of her think of his name, of course.

"You are so hot, Felicity. I just love that name. Felicity..." He pressed himself up against her as she gyrated her ass along his lower region.

Felicity frowned. "It's not really that unique. Maybe not super common like Mary or Elizabeth, but it’s still pretty run-of-the-mill."

The man didn’t seem to take in her babble one bit as a slow smile spread across his face. "Felicity…" he purred again, wrapping his arms around her waist as the song slowed.

***

"Wow, Oliver Queen. I can't believe I'm seeing you here!" Barry beamed. "Of all places to find you, man."

"I am an agent now, Barry." Oliver laughed. "I do, on occasion, get invited to things like this." Oliver shook his head at one his sister’s oldest friend, who’d become like a brother to him growing up. 

"I can't believe I had no idea."

Oliver shrugged. Barry was in a different world than he was. New York, indie films, sometimes commercial work. Oliver, whose once billionaire family was now living on dwindling trust funds, left home at twenty-one and never looked back. With only twenty-thousand dollars in his bank account, he got his own place and made his own way in Hollywood. Of course, Oliver still had the Queen name and the Queen unfairly good looks. It wasn’t too difficult for Oliver to make it through the right doors once he proved he had nothing to do with the family scandal. Nearly a decade had passed since then and was becoming a high roller in his own right. He was surprised that Barry hadn't heard he was in Hollywood. Though he hadn’t told anyone where he was going when he left Starling except his sister, who’d he’d sworn to secrecy, Oliver knew how close Thea was to Barry and her childhood friends. Thea had grown up to be different than Barry in a lot of ways, but she’d always said the ones who have your back on the playground are the ones you can count on in the battlefield of life. Thea and Barry were seven years younger than Oliver and two years younger than Barry’s oldest friend and neighbor, Felicity.  Felicity. A name that was rarely far from his thoughts. A name that belonged to a face he hadn’t seen in far too long. But they were grown up now, different people. He’d moved on. She had, too, he was sure. "You know, we should get together for drinks some time before you go back to New York,” Oliver said congenially. Though he was happy with his new life in Los Angeles, he missed the old days sometimes.

"Oh my God. I completely forgot, Oliver. Felicity..."

Oliver froze, his heartbeat quickening. "What about Felicity? Is she okay?" Why had he asked that? What was wrong with him? Of course, she was okay. Why wouldn’t she be okay?

Barry shrugged and twisted his mouth in thought then said, "Well, that remains to be seen."

Concern colored Oliver's features, and he pushed down the urge to grab Barry by the lapels of his tux and demand he make himself clear.

"I didn’t mean it like that, Oliver,” Barry said. “It's just that I brought her here as my plus-one tonight. She lives in Los Angeles now, actually. Anyway, I haven't seen her for a few hours now."

"Felicity? Here?" Oliver's mouth went dry and for the first time in a long time, he felt completely and utterly unsure of himself. And she lived where? “She lives here? She’s here tonight?”

“Yeah. I’m sure she’d love to see you. If I ever find her, I’ll send her over to say hello. That is unless you find her first.”

Oliver opened and closed his mouth, not sure of what to say until finally his brain worked well enough to allow him to put on a relaxed smiled and tell Barry, “I’d love that. I’ll be here for a while.”

***

"Mmmm, Oliver...", Maureen Anders slinked up behind him, running her hand up his broad back and resting it on his shoulder. "I miss you," the tall red-headed model whispered in his ear.

"Maureen." Oliver pulled her hand gently, so that she was standing beside him. "I'd like you to meet my old friend, Barry Allen."

She smiled, running her finger along Barry’s lapel. "Any gorgeous friend of Oliver's is a friend of mine. Would you like to dance?"

"Actually, I was just going to find my date."

Oliver cringed at those words, knowing that the word date was meant for Felicity Smoak. Were they together now? Barry had always been linked to Iris. But he had no idea if that had lasted. He shook the thought from his mind and focused on the more solid piece of information he’d just discovered. She was living in Los Angeles. For how long, he wondered. "I'll go and find her for you, Barry. I'd love to say hi. I haven't seen her since Tommy and Laurel’s wedding..."

"Seven years ago." Barry laughed. "Go find her. She'll be glad to see you. Just make sure to come and tell me she's okay after you do."

"Will do. Thanks, Barry."

Oliver's eyes scoured the crowded ballroom for any sign of the beautiful face he once tried so hard to convince himself he no longer loved. The face that sat in the middle of the slightly worn photograph he carried around his wallet. He just never could seem to part with it. She'd meant too much to him to stash her in a drawer and forget.

 

***

Felicity stepped away from her dance partner breathless. "Whoa. I think I just might need a breather."

Chad, she'd found out was his name when someone came over and introduced themselves in the middle of one of their slow dances.

Chad kissed her cheek and gently held her arm. "Don't go, baby." He kissed her behind the ear.

Felicity looked around the room for Barry when her eyes fell on a strangely familiar face. She quickly turned to Chad. "Do you know that guy, standing over there by that pillar?"

"What?" Chad was disoriented and slightly drunk.

"That guy!" Felicity pointed through the crowd when the man's eyes locked on hers.

"Oh, yeah. That's Oliver Queen. He's my girlfriend's agent."

Felicity turned back to him with a wry smile on her face. "Girlfriend, huh?"

Chad shrugged. "She has the flu."

"Mmm hmm," Felicity said.

"What do you know him or something?"

Felicity turned back around, hoping to God, he hadn't disappeared. Of course, he had. She was stupid to have broken eye contact. "I used to know him."

"Used to know who?" A voice asked from behind her.

She would know that deep tenor anywhere. Her legs wobbled and her insides turned to mush. She turned around and met the same perfect blue eyes she fell in love with she was still just a girl. "Oliver?" She was scooped up in his arms without a chance to blink. And damn it, she felt like she was home again. _Don’t sigh. Don’t sigh._ She sighed. She couldn’t help it. It was her Oliver.


	2. A Coffee Date?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity and Oliver's reunion continues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, tdgal1 for beta reading this chapter for me so fast! And thanks to TheBookJumper for helping me get through my writing like at all (and answering my lawyer questions. ;) )
> 
> And also a huge thank you for everyone who read chapter 1. I totally wasn't sure if you'd be interested, but I think enough of you are, so yay. I'm excited to bring you more of the story. Definitely let me know if you're enjoying it as it goes a long. And now without further ado....

[ ](http://tinypic.com?ref=2uxwzs0)

 

Oliver reluctantly extracted himself from Felicity's arms and let his eyes sweep over her form. Her dress clung to curves he remembered at the same time felt as if he had absolutely no acquaintance with at all. She was every bit the beautiful girl he’d fallen for that summer but so much more of a woman. His tongue actually grew heavier in this mouth. That was a thing that happened apparently. And his senses tingled with familiarity and newness. And did he mention that she smelled damned good.

"Oliver... I... I can't believe it,” she said, nibbling a bit on the impossibly red lower lip.

"Neither can I, Felicity." He grinned so wide, he felt his cheeks sting.

"An agent? Impressive,” she said, tilting her head.

"I think all the wows going around in this room should be directed toward you. You look amazing, Felicity."

Felicity blushed, causing Oliver’s heart to flutter a bit at the sight of it.  "The room is dripping with supermodels and movie stars."

"Still can't take a compliment?" he asked, his voice was soft as he stepped closer to her again. He heard her breath hitch. He told himself to hold back, to not touch her, but her skin looked so inviting. Her blue eyes searched his. “Felicity…” He tipped her chin up with a gentle finger.

"Uh, Felicity?” someone said behind her. But Oliver didn’t feel like bothering to turn around to see who it was. “Felicity?” the irritating intruder said again before invading her space and tapping her on the shoulder. Felicity whipped around, breaking their little spell to look at Chad Michaelson, a guy who played on some show on TNT now that his soap career had fizzled out. He was one of those model types that came from Iowa and made it halfway as soon as he stepped off the bus. No talent. Not a client Oliver would never take on.

“Michaelson,” Oliver said, acknowledging the man. He was dating one of his clients but Oliver knew that relationships lasted as long as a custom car wash around this town. Still, he didn’t think the guy was right for his Felicity. What was he saying? She wasn’t his anything. She really never been, had she? It had just been one summer. One summer he’d thought he’d fallen so hard he might not ever be able to get up again.

“Queen,” the pseudo-celebrity man-child said, puffing out his chest. Oliver had two inches on him easy. But he wasn’t about to turn this into peeing contest – the Felicity he’d known would never have gone for that.

“I'm sorry, Chad,” said Felicity. “I didn’t mean to ignore you, but I see you two already know each other.”

“Yeah,” he said, eyeing Oliver then flitting his eyes back to Felicity’s. “It's okay, baby." He leaned down, closer to her ear and whispered a little too loudly, "I just wanted to invite you back to my place for a little private party.”

Felicity laughed, placing her hand on his shoulder, and breathing seductively in his ear. "Normally, I'd jump at the chance, but I have a root-canal at 8am. Gotta get my rest.” Felicity stepped back, patting his shoulder. "Sorry, about that.”

"You do know who I am, don't you?"

Felicity raised her eyebrows at him.

Oliver watched the exchange amused and more than turned on. Felicity hadn't changed.

Chad sighed, seeming to accept defeat. He turned to Oliver. "Good luck, man. She is one hot tomato." Chad looked like he was about to reach out and squeeze Felicity’s ass, but Oliver slapped a heavy hand on his shoulder before he completed his douche bag send off. “Cold fish probably wouldn’t appreciate it anyway.” He stumbled off, heading for the circle of women gathered around in the far-right corner, looking right at him. He watched as the idiot grinned at the group of women. His night was clearly far from over.

Oliver held out his arms as Felicity turned back to him. "So, uh, do you want to dance?”

“You dance, Oliver Queen? In all my life never have I once seen you dance.”

“Trust me, my mother made sure I knew the basics by the time I was twelve.”

“Waltzing and fox trotting don’t look like they’re on the menu,” Felicity teased.

“Then we’ll improvise.”

 ***

Felicity melted into his embrace. It wasn’t fair how right it felt to be in his arms again. The music slowed, as if on cue, and Felicity rested her head on Oliver's shoulder. Slowly, without prompting from either, the pair began swaying softly to the music.

Felicity lifted her head, and gave Oliver a soft, shy smile. He could still unnerve her like no one else. Felicity Smoak, barracuda attorney-at-law, a pile of muddled mush in the arms of the old high school crush she’d dated for half a summer after her sophomore year at UC Berkeley. She’d turned eighteen that year, and he’d waited for her. He’d been twenty-two after all, and Oliver was a good guy who wanted to make sure she was respected. But even before they’d gotten together, Oliver had been special to her. He’d been someone she could trust to support her, to see her as more than just the geeky blonde in glasses who tutored all his senior friends when she was still in Freshman Comp. Deftly, she cleared her throat, trying to regain her senses. "So, Oliver..." her breath sputtered shakily across his neck. "You live here, I imagine."

"Yeah," Oliver smiled, then swallowed trying to moisten his dry throat. He was never this out of control, not any more. "I heard you just moved here."

"Oh, so you've talked to Barry, huh?"

"Yeah." Oliver did not know what else to say. He knew what he wanted to say, but he just couldn't. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.

They continued to sway to the music. Felicity felt so alive her skin buzzed and her heart spun. She couldn't believe that a few moments before she was ready to pass out from exhaustion. Right now, she felt like she could run a marathon and still have enough energy to do the Tango with Oliver between her legs all night long. She shook her head. She really should not be having such thoughts about him. Not now. Not like this. Oliver's strong hand swept up her back. Felicity bit back a moan. He was not making this easy.

"So, what brought you to LA?"

"My law firm opened an office out here. I got upped to junior partner if I made the move.”

“Junior partner at 26?”

Felicity shrugged. “Your math is good.”

“I know you graduated from college at the same time some of us were just struggling to get a high school diploma but still…” Felicity blushed at his flattery. “You’re remarkable.”

“I don’t know about that. Obsessive maybe,” she said on a sigh. The lights dimmed around them. It may have been a signal that the party was ready to shut down, but she couldn’t stop her mouth from continuing. “Anyway, I had no real ties in New York, except Barry and a few other friends. I, also, was lucky enough to have one of my best friends, Silvia, make the move with me in the office, followed by two crotchety men in their fifties."

Barry was just a friend. He thought that was what she was saying. "So, um, your office is small?"

"No actually, Silvia and I were put in charge of recruiting the new staff. Right now, we are four partners, three juniors, and seven assistants."

"Sounds nice."

"It is."

Felicity sighed and put her head back on Oliver's shoulder.

"Would you belt me if I asked you to join me for one of my little private parties... courtesy of Starbucks?"

Felicity smiled, and shook her head against his shoulder. "I'd love to, Oliver." She felt like a kid again. She was insecure in his arms, and at the same time more comfortable than she'd ever been.

Oliver let his hands roam the contours of her shapely back, as he rested his cheek against her soft blonde hair. 

"I see we've found our dates!" Barry shouted, coming up behind them, as the music slipped into a techno-beat tempo. Maureen had her arm linked through his.

Felicity and Oliver jumped apart.

"Don't worry," Barry laughed. "We're not going to punish you for getting too fresh on the dance floor." He winked at Felicity. She blushed. He could say such embarrassingly dorky things sometimes.

Felicity cheeks burned. Oliver scratched the purposefully organized scruff that littered his jaw.

"Oliver, sweetheart, I'm really tired. Do you think we could leave?" Maureen stepped away from Barry and leaned on Oliver.

Felicity's eyes widened at the presence of Maureen Anders. She was Oliver's date? The Victoria's Secret model's picture was plastered all over every fashion magazine in the country. Suddenly, Felicity felt every level of inadequacy she’d ever felt corkscrew through her veins. Damn. What had she been thinking? She really hadn’t put much coherent thought other than Oliver since she she’d seen him. Now, she was that awkward geek who’d started Starling Prep without a clue of how to even speak in front of the people who lived in his world – the beautiful people. But that summer, she’d found out Oliver was more than just an image. He was a man who brought out the parts of her she didn’t believe could shine. But they’d been so young. She had school to start, and he’d just returned home to spend time with his sister after being away for so long. Then, he’d left to find his way in the world so she could do the same for herself. He claimed he’d slow her down, that he was a mess. And then she saw him at Tommy and Laurel's wedding about a year later. They'd been overly polite to each other, feeling the eyes on them in the room. They'd left without saying a real word to each other. It had gutted her really, but after about a year, she’d decided that those insanely deep feelings had likely been one-sided and perhaps to him being her first – anything really. So, she went about the business of growing up. Eventually, the painful memory of that beautiful time lost became a sweet memory—a solvent in times of bad dates and six-month relationship break-ups.

"That's not a bad idea, Maureen,” Oliver was saying. “Barry, would you and Felicity like a ride with us?"

"Actually, I have a rental. A Porsche, actually." Barry smiled bashfully, knowing that such a revelation would not be a big deal to Oliver no matter how far he’d fallen or how it long it took him to power his way back up – on his own merit. But it was a big deal to him. He’d arrived – sort of.

"Well, um..." Oliver looked lost. Was he wanting to leave with Maureen but feeling obligated to stay and spend time with old friends? 

"Oliver, it's okay,” Felicity supplied. “We can catch up another time."

***

Oliver did not like the sound of that. Another time, could mean two months from now, or never. "Felicity, why don't you and Barry give me your cell numbers, so I know where to reach you?”

As Felicity fumbled for the clasp on her tiny shoulder bag to look for whatever it was she wanted to look for, Oliver stepped a little closer to her, hoping only she could hear him. "I'd like to keep that date, if possible." He sounded like a desperate idiot, and desperate idiot was not Oliver Queen’s forte. He prided himself on being capable sure and highly focused. Felicity was a fond memory from the past not this flesh and blood creature of near perfection standing in front of him. Now, all he wanted was a chance to know her again, pretty much everything else be damned right about now. 

She pulled out her business card and scribbled her address on the back. She then held her palm facing up, after placing the tiny cream-colored card in Oliver's hand. “Phone?” she squeaked, blushing a bit. Oliver handed her his phone, and she quickly punched her contact information into it.

For backup, Oliver reached into his pocket and handed a personal card to Barry then a second to Felicity. "Private cell's on there. Just don't let that float around,” said Oliver. "When do you leave, Barry?" he asked, taking his sister’s old friend’s card from him. The card exchange was so Hollywood, and so surreal as he was doing it with people he’d known most of his life, people that meant more to him than a simple network connection. “It was really good to see you. Thea was just here last week.”

“I know. I hate that I missed her, but I'll be here for the rest of the week."

"Stop by my office, and I’ll take you to lunch.” Oliver wanted to say, especially if you bring Felicity, but he refrained.

Barry smiled then turned to Felicity. “I'll go get our coats."

"Wait, Barry. I'll go with you and get Oliver's and mine," said Maureen. She really seemed to want to get out of there. Either that or she was angling for a part in Barry’s new movie.

"No. The line is a mad house. Let me get them," said Oliver.

"It's okay, Oliver. I'm a big girl." She dashed off behind the lanky director before Oliver could get another word in.

"Should I pick you up at your place?" Oliver looked down at Felicity's card. Century City. The Tower. Avenue of the Stars, #3620. He let out a short laugh. "Do you realize, we've been living five minutes away from each other since you got here?" He smiled.

Felicity’s eyebrows shot up. "Wow…That’s, uh, ironic, maybe or at least really weird. I don’t know why we haven’t seen each other. Of course, this is a really big city, but there are like people I run into all the time I live close by to you know like the gym or maybe the grocery store or—Oh, God. I still kinda run off at the mouth, I’m so sorry."

Oliver sighed. God, he’d missed her. "So, we’re gonna do this, huh?” She reached out and squeezed his hand.

Oliver's eyes slipped shut and he dug his teeth into his lip. That sensation was tortuously sweet.

"Pick me up in an hour. As much as I love this dress, I think a bit more casual wear is suited for Starbucks."

"Nah." Oliver titled his head, enjoying the simple contact between them. "I think it's more a come as you are kind of a joint."

"True enough," Felicity laughed, finally letting his hand go.

"Well, what do you say we go and find our dates, so we can get out of here?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos are the loves of my life and comments keep me breathing. Sooooo dramatic, I know. ;) In other words, I'd love to know what you think.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos are kind. Comments feed the soul. Thanks for reading. Once again I ask if you'd like to read more. It's so AU to me, but I think it could be fun. It will be about 8 chapters.


End file.
